ToadstoolXX
by Department Zetlin
Summary: A clone of Peach becomes the target of an all-powerful evil: Tabuu. With her own nigh-omnipotence, can she save the multiverse, or will she be corrupted?


"Textual Information Banks Detected. Read? Y/N"

"Y"

"Fiat. So It Is Said, So It Shall Be"

The supercomputer processed this information. According to his assorted sensors, the security of Castle Toadstool, his new home, had been breached by a line of black "Times New Roman" text. Naturally, he had assumed the text to be some sort of magical creature when he first saw it, but his thaumic sensors proved that this was not the case. In an instant, he checked all of its vital signs. There were none. A nanosecond-spanning chemical analysis proved that the creature was not ink, merely a black space on whatever surface it was on. This was an anomaly.

The computer, TEC-XX, refused to let anything without clearance into the castle. It was his first day of work as the security system, and he wished to show the princess that he was trustworthy. He had a rather unfortunate past, having been built as a machine of war by an alien empire, and he was willing to do anything to forget those sins. If that meant killing something that did not seem to be alive, so be it. Nothing was impossible.

All of these thoughts had raced through TEC's computerized mind as the text-snake slithered through the window. Once it had fully entered the castle through a storage room, TEC slowed down. He observed the actions of the intruder. It had brought itself to the very center of the room, and it moved its "F" around like a head, as if searching for something. Suddenly, it leapt off the wood floor and shot through the air at the security camera. TEC's eye. He snapped a metal gate around the camera, but the words seemed to melt through. As the word-beast entered the internal circuitry, TEC felt himself shutting down. The text took control.

It looked around the castle for the princess' bedroom. It began its mission.

**. . .**

She woke up surrounded by the toads, vaguely recalling something about a glass tank. As soon as she had conciousness, her mind began to process information. She was on the planet Apoca. Fourth from its sun. It had many species that shared dominance, but she was currently dealing with the wrinkled, tree-like fungi called toads. She was in the royal palace of the half-human-half-toad royal family of a nation called Mushroom, the Toadstools. Her name was...

Her name wasn't. She realized that she was a new creation on Apoca. But for some reason, she had the entire repository of memories owned by the princess, a stunning young lady by the name of Peach Toadstool. She could recall that Peach was tall, slender, and had golden blonde hair. She was also a brilliant strategist, a natural sorceress, kind-hearted to a fault, and extremely headstrong. However, she was best known for the fact that, while half of them were simulations for diplomatic purposes, she had been kidnapped literally hundreds of times. She wasn't sure whether it was comforting to have all of this woman's memories, or a very bad sign. Rather odd that she has someone else's memories and knows, she thought. She could recall that being uncommon.

Now then, she had successfully figured out where she was and why she knew English. She turned her attention to herself. As far as could be told, she was on her back with screaming toads all around her. And she was nude. On the bright side, she now knew she was female. Good to know. She felt her head and found what felt like silk. She pulled it down. It was her hair. Blonde. Wait a sec. Blonde? She checked her body again and racked her version of Peach's memory. As far as she could tell, she was an exact replica of Peach. That kind of pulled some facts together. She was naked, in a lab, had implanted memories, and looked exactly like royalty. She was a clone. Made sense. She looked up and noticed that one of the screaming toads, an elderly one with a brown cap that she recognized as being named Toadsworth, was coming in with the real princess. Good. Maybe they could get some answers together.

The princess, clad in a long pink ballgown, had been briefed on the situation by Toadsworth. According to him, there was some sort of nude, unconcious copy of her sitting in TEC's chamber, TEC had no idea what had happened, and the guards were panicking even worse than when a dead bird was found in front of the castle. Even worse, perhaps, since this probably didn't come from a very patriotic stray. As she strolled into the computer room, the people running about all rushed to the nearest wall and stood at attention. The replica sat in the middle of the two rows. The princess walked slowly to her. "Wh-who are you?" She asked, stammering but polite.

"I'm afraid we have a problem here." The other woman said, standing up. "I was kind of hoping you could help me figure that out."

Toadsworth spoke up, in what would be called a posh British accent on Earth. "I-I-I...I refuse to let anything occur between the princess and this-imposter until the latter is clothed!"

"Sounds good to me. I can't really explain right now, but I know the layout of the castle. If I may have an escort to the princess' bedroom, I could get a dress and perhaps we can figure out what's happening."

Toadsworth stammered, then finally gave in. "Todd? Please escort...it came from TEC, it has to be recorded with some sort of name."

A young toad at the computer spoke up. "It was called 'T-D-S-T-L-X-X,' sir."

"Good. Escort Miss Toadstool Ecks-Ecks to the princess' bedroom so that she can...become decent."

**. . .**

The princess and her double sat down in the bedroom, at a small table used for private meals Peach hosted. Toadstool had, after much deliberation over which of the princess' nigh-identical gowns she should wear, clothed herself in an unworn outfit that had been given as a gift to the princess. It was an ornate blue shirt made in the United Lands depicting the Four Sarasan Beasts of Legend, the sphinx, sea dragon, cloud, and golem, locked in combat. Below the shirt was a pair of tight, blue, cotton pants. Peach was wearing one of the gowns, though on the way to the room she had insisted it was not the one she was wearing before.

The plan was to discuss the recent events with the clone and find out more about her/it. In case something went wrong, there were several security cameras in the room, with the entire castle staff watching. As Peach and Toadstool sat down, the staff eagerly awaited the knowledge of what was going on. They wanted to know about this mysterious other princess. Who was she? Why was she created? Was she friend or foe? How did this affect the princess' boyfriend, Sir Mario Mario? After an awkward pause, the princess began to speak. "So...erm..."

"It's okay," Began the replica. "You can call me Toadstool-XX. It's what I'm recorded as."

"Well, yes, but it isn't really a name."

"You've been using the first part of it as a surname for years."

The princesses giggled. Peach started up again. "Anyway, Toadstool. Exactly who are you?"

"I don't really know." The moment those words passed Toadstool's lips, everyone viewing practically fainted. She didn't know! How could she not know?

"I think I'm some sort of clone of you. TEC made me."

The crowd relaxed. At least she had a vague theory.

"Any idea why?"

"From what Todd told me, some weird thing possessed him and made him do it."

"Weird...thing?"

"It was like a moving sentence. And no, I don't know what it said."

"Oh. So, do you remember anything?"

"Sure. I remember your childhood, your home-schooling, the first time you kissed, your first kidnapping, even that time you died."

"So you remember my life? How?"

"I apologise, but I don't know. I think it's all implanted memories."

"How do you know it isn't yours?"

"That's implanted too, as far as I can tell."

"Do you recall anything of your own creation?"

Toadstool closed her eyes and sat back. "I only remember waking up wet and naked, surrounded by young men screaming bloody murder and running around like madtoads."

"I'm sorry your...birth, I guess, had to be so stressfull."

"No, I'm fine. I guess I'm a bit euphoric from my creation. Nothing seems to bother me. Besides, it's in the guards' nature to run in little circles when things happen."

"You have a good point there." Peach switched gears. "Do you have any sort of a...personality?"

Toadstool re-opened her eyes. A personality? Well, she...was calm. But that was more euphoria. She was...introspective. Sort of. Slowly, it dawned on her. She wasn't really anyone yet. She was a blank slate. Empty. She was nothing in its purest form.

"I'm nobody." She mumbled.

Peach's eyes widened. She understood people very well. She knew when something was wrong. "What was that?"

"I'm nobody. Nothing. I...I'm sorry. Now that I think of it, I can't really talk about myself before I have a 'myself' in the first place."

The princess understood. At a nod, Toadstool stood up and left the bedroom. As she left the castle, ignoring the glances of castle staff, she began to try and think about herself. How does a full-grown adult get a personality? Well, she was functioning, so she clearly had something. What appealed to her in Peach's memories? Well, there was...there was...wait. There were some things she thought about Peach that Peach didn't think herself. For starters, Toadstool knew for a fact that all twenty-five of Peach's gowns really were identical, and that she was simply fooling herself saying that they were different. With this realization, Toadstool realized another thing about herself. She hated the color pink. It had nothing to do with feminism, rejection of classical gender roles, or any opinion on Peach. She simply felt that it was generally a garish color that had no place on Apoca. Maybe it had to do with the fact that her memories were filled with it. Who knows?

Suddenly, Toadstool realized that she had gotten caught up in her own thoughts again. She did a quick check of the environment. She had walked downtown, and was now surrounded on all sides by skyscrapers. Also, it was raining. Not too hard, but pretty badly. She thought she heard thunder in the distance as well. Come to think of it, that was a third personality trait. She was the kind of girl who could stop in her tracks and think "It's raining, and it wasn't when I started on my way." That was something else good to know. Toadstool turned in towards an alley.

An absolute silence hit, and with it came a feeling that the world had shuddered and changed.

Toadstool ran out of the alley. To her horror, there were no cars on the streets or people on the sidewalks. No sound at all. Adding to the effect, the sky was growing darker. She looked up. Instead of becoming a night-black, as she had thought, it was turning an angry red. Suddenly, a bolt of lighting struck directly to her left. Another hit to her right. Toadstool shot off, with more lightning striking at her every step. What was going on? The only thing that she could figure out was that something was trying to kill her. Lightning didn't aim like that. Wait a second. She was about to get lost in her own thoughts again. Couldn't do that. Had to concentrate.

There was an apartment to her right with an open door. She ducked in, thinking that maybe it would block these strange attacks. After she was inside, the walls crackled with electricity before fading away completely. She was vulnerable again. Toadstool began to run again. She tried to analyze the situation while still running. There was lighning striking at her, but it missed as long as she kept moving. Also, running into buildings would make them disappear. That made no sense. Then again, maybe it was just that building. She dodged into a small bookstore and took a breath. She prayed that this would protect her. It was unlikely, but there was no harm in hoping. She waited for the walls to crackle and fade. To her surpise, they didn't. The walls held out. Could she have...? No, it was impossible. Why would she be able to...? A test wouldn't hurt...

She concentrated on the lightning stopping. It had been continuing to strike just outside the shop. As soon as she stated it mentally, the stikes ended. She thought about a random book dropping off of a shelf. It tumbled off as if pushed. Finally, Toadstool-XX concentrated on the world returning to normal.

It didn't.

The sky remained blood-red. The rain kept pouring. The deafening silence stayed. And a single word flashed in Toadstool's head, though it didn't feel like it came from there. "Die."

Her vison went red as a grinding pain rippled through her body and she collapsed on the floor of the bookstore. She heard a voice inside her head. "You have to die." It rasped. "You do not belong. You are an anomaly. You are not meant to be. Die." Toadstool still couldn't see a thing, but she felt a pounding on her ribs. She screamed. She felt more sensations. There was wind. A wall, or perhaps the floor again. A feeling like claws on her arm. Then, for a moment, everything was still. She took a breath and tried to will herself to see her attacker. It worked. She began to see what was happening. The shop was in shambles, and there was a nearly-invisible figure that seemed to be stepping back. It wasn't quite visible, except as a crimson shine in the air, like a glass man in a red light. The figure suddenly lunged at Toadstool. Another thought flashed in her mind, this time belonging to her. "Push it back. Knock the thing away."

A blue light erupted from her body for a split second, and the being recoiled. To accurate, it was tossed across the room, colliding eventually with a bookshelf. It was all clear now. Somehow, Toadstool's thoughts could become reality. She was...omnipotent. World, I command you to return to your former form, she thought. "No."

What? What was that?

"Me. Your excecutioner. Your power is weak, while Subspace's is strong."

So that was it. The red thing, probably named Subspace, had the same powers. Toadstool tried another thought. Subspace, I command you to die. "No." Said Subspace, climbing back to its feet. "You cannot do anything I tell you not to. Now then, drown."

"Body, breathe! You, crumble!"

"Stay as one. Heart attack."

The pain was searing, but Toadstool willed the attack to stop. "Ceiling collapse!"

"Hold. Forget ever-"

"Remember! Knock down! Make unconcious! And show that thing's real self to me!"

Subspace fell back down onto the ground. Toadstool walked over to it. She wanted to know what this...this...demon really looked like. When she saw Subspace, her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Lying on the ground was the very image of the princess, down to the last spot on the face. The only difference was that the figure was dressed in a more elaborate, sinister red gown with a high collar. Chilling. Still, she had more important things to think about. She tried returning the world to normal again.

Chaos hit.

Cars, people, and life surrounded the princess' clone. It was raining in the real world, too, but noticably harder. This was real. Most likely. Looking around her, Toadstool-XX began to walk back to the castle. However, one thing caught her eye. It was a man wearing a black trenchcoat and a broad hat. He tipped his hat to her, smiling. Then he clapped for a second, as if applauding what she had just accomplished. Finally, the man faded away into a cloud of what looked like the English language.

The rain stopped abruptly.

A final thought rose to Toadstool's mind. "What in the world is going on?"


End file.
